It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,819 that two digital images can be merged together to form a single new composite digital image. Typically, this is obtained by combining a customer generated digital image with a prestored digital image. When the prestored image and customer generated image have the same general visual 3-D shape, 3-D structure, or texture (3-D structure) the combined images can be quite pleasing. However, when the visual 3-D structures are different, the merging of the two images can be less than aesthetically pleasing. That is, the customer generated image may appear as if it was just pasted onto the prestored digital image.
Applicants have solved the foregoing problem by taking into account the three-dimensional characteristics of the prestored digital image and adjusting the customer generated image such that it substantially corresponds to that of the prestored digital image.